Those who hold national elected office typically consider it a high honor, difficult to achieve, and easy to lose. This has not always been the case. Evidence of this can be seen […]
It is Illegal to Resign from the British Parliament
That Time a Drunk Trader Played Havoc With the Oil Futures Market
It was 7:45 a.m. on June 30, 2009. Stephen Perkins had a hangover. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Actually, he wished desperately that he was sleeping — […]
How the Heavy-Handed Counting of an Overweight Legislator Tipped the Scales for a Weighty Law
One of the most important principles of law is the legal recourse of habeas corpus. Translated from the Latin as “to have the body,” it most commonly shows up as a judicial […]
The Power of Ink to Get Rid of Pesky Callers
We all have our techniques for dealing with unwanted conversations and unpleasant people. Some may follow Calvin Coolidge’s example of responding with stony silence. Others may benefit from Abraham Lincoln’s practice of […]
Supernatural Conspiracy Theories About the Royal Family
There is a mystery and mystique surrounding royalty. It seems that the public can never get enough inside information about those who were fortunate enough to be born into the highest class […]
Gasp and Grasp Your Way Through the Great London Smog of 1952
Residents of London are accustomed to foggy conditions. When diminished visibility began to cloud the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, and Westminster Palace, few thought there was any reason for […]
How a Little “Common Sense” Created the United States of America
Americans remember 1776 as the year of revolution, but it didn’t start that way. As 1775 turned into 1776, the people of the thirteen American colonies of the United Kingdom considered themselves […]
A Tale of Two Imaginary Slashers and the Mass Hysteria That Seized Two Communities
The people of the United Kingdom town of Halifax had enough on their minds. War clouds were swirling, and there were fears that the country would soon be drawn into another great […]
The Time Churchill Got Stood Up By Hitler
Winston Churchill did not appreciate being kept waiting. Even worse, he despised being stood up. As this great man sat and looked with irritation at the clock, he realized he was about […]
Wearing the Crown Brings Some Unusual Rights
Historically, royalty carries with it inherent aspects of sovereignty, power, and might. To wear the crown is to have the ability to yell, “Off with their heads!” and have the command carried […]
Warnings for Those Who Fail to Read the Fine Print
Are you one of those people who reads every word of the documents you sign? The vast majority of the population cannot be bothered to peruse the HIPAA disclosures at the doctor’s […]
The Award-Winning Great Dane With a Great Bladder
No account of the heroes of World War II can be complete without mentioning the two-time recipient of the Blue Cross medal. Juliana’s heroic acts included single-handedly defusing a bomb and saving […]
Royal Right to Summer Snowballs
As has been previously noted in articles such as this one, the real estate agreements involving the British royal family can be a bit outdated or unusual. None, however, can surpass the […]
Churchill’s Bequest for a Marmalade Cat
When Winston Churchill donated his home to the United Kingdom’s National Trust, he did so with the request that there always be a marmalade cat named Jock, with a white bib and […]
Two Musical Geniuses Separated by a Wall and 200 Years
In the 2020 movie Bill & Ted Face the Music, Jimi Hendrix teams up with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a number of other musical geniuses from history to perform a song that […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 